I. Introduction.- 1. Interpersonal Commitment in Historical Perspective.- II. Conceptualization and Measurement of Interpersonal Commitment.- 2. Duty toward Whom? Reconsidering Attractions and Barriers as Determinants of Commitment in a Relationship.- 3. Conceiving Couple Commitment: Choice, Promise, and Fulfillment.- 4. Personal, Moral, and Structural Commitment to Relationships: Experiences of Choice and Constraint.- III. The Development of Interpersonal Commitment.- 5. Interpersonal Experience in Infancy as a Foundation for the Capacity in Adults for Stable Relationships.- 6. Attachment Processes and Commitment to Romantic Relationships.- 7. The Development of Commitment to Marriage: A Phenomenological Approach.- 8. Commitment in the Early Years of Marriage.- IV. Basic Commitment Processes in Relationships.- 9. The Dynamics of Interpersonal Commitment and the Issue of Salience.- 10. Marital Commitment and Family Life Transitions: A Social Exchange Perspective on the Construction and Deconstruction of Intimate Relationships.- 11. Commitment and Adversity: A Reciprocal Relation.- 12. The Relationship of Exchange and Commitment.- 13. What Attachment Styles and Love Styles Add to the Understanding of Commitment and Relationship Stability.- 14. Interpersonal Commitments: The Interplay of Social Networks and Individual Identities.- V. Commitment within Diverse Populations.- 15. Stability and Commitment in Friendships.- 16. The Bereavement Experience: Continuing Commitment after the Loss of a Loved One.- 17. Examples of Commitment in Postdivorce Relationships between Ex-Spouses.- 18. Levels and Styles of Commitment in Marriage: The Case of Asian Indian Immigrants.- 19. Commitment and Sexual Behaviors in Adolescent Dating Relationships.- 20. The Constraints of Innovation: Commitment and Stability among Same-Sex Couples.- VI. Clinical Issues and Applications.- 21. Perceived Partner Commitment and Attachment Style: Clinical Implications of a Cognitive Perspective.- 22. Using What We Know: Commitment and Cognitions in Marital Therapy.- 23. Dominant Discourse in Heterosexual Relationships: Inhibitors or Facilitators of Interpersonal Commitment and Relationship Stability?.- 24. Communication Processes in Marital Commitment: An Integrative Approach.- VII. Related Constructs.- 25. Commitment and Trust in Close Relationships: An Interdependence Analysis.- 26. Buffering the Effects of Betrayal: The Role of Apology, Forgiveness, and Commitment.- 27. Jealousy and Problems of Commitment.- 28. Deconstructing Stability: The Distinction between the Course of a Close Relationship and Its Endpoint.- VIII. Conclusion.- 29. Future Directions for Commitment Research.